ABSTRACT

Listeria spp., including Listeria monocytogenes, are distributed widely in nature and the environment, including soil, crops, animal feeds, silage, water, wastewater, and decaying vegetation. 1 Listeriosis is a rare foodborne infection caused by L. monocytogenes. As compared to healthy adults, individuals aged 65 years and older, pregnant women, neonates, and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for contracting listeriosis, which ranks as the third leading cause of mortality (21% case fatality) from foodborne pathogens in the United States. 2,3 Besides involvement in major listeriosis outbreaks, L. monocytogenes has been isolated from a diversity number of food categories, ranging from dairy products, meat, seafood, to ready-to-eat foods, given it's ability to survive and grow at refrigeration temperatures. 4–7